Maine Algal Research Infrastructure and Accelerator

Tapping into the Potential of Algae to Power the Blue Economy

The blue economy refers to sustainable and equitable use of oceans, seas and coastal areas for economic growth and environmental protection. The ocean is vital to the health of our planet and the success of our society and the ocean shapes our life.

MARIA drives innovation by enhancing algae-related research infrastructure, expanding STEM training and workforce development programs, and strengthening collaborative networks with business development partners to help transform innovative ideas into practical businesses.

“The first year of the project is focused on generating data — characterizing the algae we have and what those strains can do,” said Senior Research Scientist Manoj Kamalanathan, one of the project’s principal investigators. “We need that information to drive business ideas.”

MARIA leverages the unique collection of more than 3,800 algal strains curated by Bigelow Laboratory’s National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota by:

• Unlocking knowledge for current and future research and applications by characterizing valuable algal processes, physiology, and metabolic compounds
• Providing STEM training to hundreds of students and mid-career individuals

TRAIN AND COLLABORATE WITH US

• STUDENTS – Join our science-focused internship program, which is paired with business-focused opportunities
• EARLY-CAREER RESEARCHERS – Apply for our academic seed grants to support innovative algae-based ideas
• PROFESSIONALS – Join our professional short courses to navigate industry shifts or seek a career transition
• ENTREPRENEURS – Collaborate with us to pursue competitive funding from diverse sources
• INDUSTRY LEADERS & BUSINESSES - Innovate by leveraging our algal collection, expertise, and research infrastructure
• EVENTS - join us when we launch Science Days for Entrepreneurs, Algal Innovation Days with more details coming soon
• MATERIALS & TOOLS FOR OUTREACH - Submit your request to maria-project@bigelow.org

OTHER SERVICES

• NETWORKING - Integrated engagement between cutting-edge research facilities, investors and entrepreneurs, scientists, workforce development organizations, and educators
• CONSULTANCY –Hourly consulting with experts and controlled-access to proprietary datasets
• INFRASTRUCTURE ACCESS - Use of our research infrastructure on a fee-for-service basis. Complete this Interest Form for more information.
• PRODUCT OPTIMIZATION AND SCALING - Outsourced optimization from product synthesis to pilot-scale production, utilizing traditional growth condition modifications and genetically engineered strains

NEWS

• Protecting Maine’s unsung underwater hero — algae March 20, 2025Press Herald
• From Idea to Innovation - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences December 10, 2024Bigelow eNews
• New $7 Million Grant to Power Algae-Based Innovation - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences August 27, 2024Bigelow eNews